North Carolina school bus driver thwarts plan to shoot students, teachers at school

Authorities are hailing a school bus driver for thwarting a potential bloodbath at a North Carolina elementary school.

Bus driver Alice Bradley called 911 Thursday morning to report a man pointing a gun at her at South Macon Elementary School in Franklin. Officers responded and arrested Adam Conley, 38, and his girlfriend Kathryn Jeter, 29, of Franklin, on multiple charges. Authorities said Friday the couple told officers they intended to shoot students and teachers at the school “if it was God’s will,” WLOS-TV reported. Authorities said they seized five handguns the couple had in their possession.

“Everybody says I’m a hero,” Bradley told the station. “I’m not a hero. I just reacted like anybody else would.”

The Asheville Citizen-Times said the incident began when a gun-toting Conley confronted Bradley at 5:15 a.m.. in the school's parking lot.

“He just pointed it at me, and I said, ‘Lord, he’s going to shoot me,’ I just boarded my car and went toward him,” Bradley said, according to Fox 8. Her actions sent Conley running for cover, authorities said.

The Citizen-Times said officers subdued Conley with a stun gun after he approached a deputy with a gun in one hand and two guns in a holster.

Deputies also subdued Jeter with a stun gun when she went for a gun on the ground, Macon County Sheriff Robert Holland told reporters.

“One of the individuals made the statement that if it was God’s will to shoot children and teachers, and if the other suspect wanted the suspect to do so, they would have proceeded to start shooting children and teachers,” Holland said, according to the paper.

The sheriff said Conley and Jeter appeared to be on drugs.

Authorities charged the pair with attempted first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, gun possession and animal cruelty. Holland said the couple admitted killing a cat that roamed the school grounds.